Dawn, meet Cameron
by InTheDoorway
Summary: After Sunnydale is destroyed the Summers move to LA, where Dawn attends a ballet class and meets a new friend, an odd but charming girl named Cameron. The Summers and Connors do not approve of their relationship however, causing a war. lang, V, Fem/
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any character in this story, either from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Terminator:TSCC, nor do I profit from them in any way.**

Summary: After Sunnydale is destroyed the Summers move to LA, where Dawn attends a ballet class where she meets a new friend: Cameron. crossover with terminator:TSCC

Dawn fell on her ass. Again.

"Ouch!" she complained loudly.

All the other girls laughed, causing Dawn's cheeks to turn a bright red.

"Ms. Summers, please try to stay on your feet," advised old Ms. Russo, the dancing instructor. "You're about as graceful as a bull moose."

The other girls laughed harder at the teachers scolding, and Dawn's cheeks burned brighter.

'I should have never joined this class,' she chastised herself, then added 'what kind of 19 year old blushes like a baby!'

"Sorry ma'am," Dawn said meekly as she climbed to her feet. She had joined the Ballet class in the hopes of finding something different to do in this new city, but it had become apparent that she didn't have the legs for dancing. It was all spinning and standing on tippy-toes, which she had each mastered, until she had to do them together. That was when her butt had met the floor, over and over.

She scanned the room, glad all the attention of her classmates was turning back to Ms. Russo, and exhaled loudly in relief.

"Problem Ms. Summers?" demanded Ms. Russo loudly. She was too much like a high school teacher for Dawn's liking, and she seemed to have developed a certain distaste for one Dawn Summers, but Dawn refused to quit. Buffy had annoyingly commented that she would quit after the first lesson, as she quit everything. Dawn would have quit several times, if not for her sister's educated assessment. She wanted to prove Buffy wrong.

"No ma'am" answered Dawn shyly, "just...um...breathing."

"You sound like Darth Vader," chided Russo, causing the class to burst into laughter again.

Dawn rolled her eyes. 'This is way too much like high school', she thought, 'I'm so quitting after this class.' Then she noticed one girl wasn't laughing, but just blankly staring at her. Dawn looked her in the eyes, but when most people would look away the girl just blinked, and tilted her head slightly, almost like a quizzical cat.

Finally the girl looked away when Old Russo started talking again, ending a long moment of awkward eye contact. 'What the hell was that about?' Dawn asked herself. Dawn eyed the strange girl, and quickly realized that she was a much better dancer when the class began again. She was tall and slender, with long legs. She had long brown hair that was tied back in a pony tail, and wore a black leotard over purple leggings. She moved fluidly and easily through the motions Dawn found so difficult, graceful and agile, her every movement an extension of artistic expression.

The girl pivoted nimbly in a perfect Pirouette, and her eyes met Dawn's again as she turned. Dawn quickly turned away, and felt her cheeks grow warm once more, embarrassed at being caught staring.

Finally the dreadful class ended.

All the girls filed to the back towards the locker and shower area. Dawn was last in line, when she noticed the girl was still dancing. Even without music the girl spun elegantly, her arms and legs moving in lithe unison.

When the talented woman noticed Dawn she stopped abruptly.

"You were looking at me during class," she said. "Why?"

Dawn raised her eyebrows, surprised at the blunt question. "You're good," she answered. "Better than me. Probably better than Ms. Russo even."

"She lacks dexterity," the girl said matter-of-factly. "She is in the beginning stages of arthritis, which restricts her movements."

"How do you know that?" asked Dawn.

The girl looked at her for a moment, then answered simply "I can tell."

"Ok...." Dawn replied, perplexed by the odd reply. Looking for a change of subject, she asked "So... what's your name?"

"My name is Cameron," said the girl, and then in an obvious mimic of Dawn's own question she asked "So... what's your name?"

"Dawn," she answered, ignoring the girl's impression of her, not sure if she meant it jokingly or mockingly. "Why are you in this class if you're better than the teacher?"

"I like dancing," Cameron answered plainly.

"Well not me. I'm only in it because I want to prove to my stupid sister that I can do it."

"I have a brother," said Cameron. "He can be 'stupid' too."

Dawn decided she liked this strange girl. She acted detached and almost mechanical, but it seemed more innocence and shyness rather than smugness, which Dawn had originally thought.

"Would you like to come over for dinner?" she asked on a sudden whim. "We just moved to LA a few weeks ago, and I haven't really met anyone yet. My sister is making something pasta-like I think. She's sort of a crappy cook, but my friend Willow is there to help her, so hopefully whatever it is will be eatable. I hope."

Cameron tilted her head and looked briefly puzzled, as if she didn't understand the question.

"Well, only if you want-" Dawn began, before being interrupted.

"Yes, I will come to dinner" said Cameron, smiling. "I just have to call my Mother, and let her know where I'll be."

Dawn worried briefly that she had invited a fourteen year old girl to her house, and accidently misjudged her age, but then remembered the dance class had been for girls over 18. The girl was probably just close to her mother, she decided.

Dawn waited while Cameron retrieved a cell phone from her bag and flipped it open.

"Sarah," Cameron said after dialing and waiting for an answer, "I'm going to a friend's house for dinner."

"Yes, I do have a friend," she responded to whatever the person on the phone had said, "her name is Dawn."

Dawn pretended not to listen until finally Cameron said "Call me if there's trouble," before hanging up.

"Was that your sister?" asked Dawn.

"No, my mother," Cameron replied as she threw her phone back into her bag.

"You call your mom 'Sarah'?"

"Yes," she said, then added "we joke around a lot," In explanation.

"She didn't believe that you have a friend?"

"No," answered Cameron. "We move around a lot."

It seemed to Dawn like Cameron was trying to come up with answers on the fly, like she was trying to hide something, but then dismissed it as sillyness. "We move around a lot too," she told Cameron. "Well let's go. Willow and Buffy will be wondering where I am."

"Ok," said Cameron, smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

(a/n: Sorry it took so long to update. Ill try to not take so long with the next chapter. Hope you like it)

Dawn led Cameron into their new house after the short ride from the dance studio.

"Buffy!" she called. "I'm home!"

"Hi Dawn!" came Buffy's reply from the other room. "Dinner will be in ready in like five minutes."

"C'mon Cameron," said Dawn. She led her into the dining room area, where Xander sat reading a spider-man comic.

"Well hello Dawnicus," he greeted. "How goes the ballet battle?"

Dawn snorted. "Not good. The floor beats me every time. Xander, this is Cameron, Cameron this is Xander."

"Hi Cameron," he said with an easy smile. "Any friend of our Dawny is a friend of ours."

Cameron returned the smile, and then asked "how did you lose your eye?"

Xander's hand wandered to the patch covering his empty socket, in an absent minded self conscious way before answering "long story. Boring story. Not really much of a story at all really," he stammered. "I, um, ran with scissors. Who would've thunk it, Momma Harris was right all along. Well, besides all the talk about the government trying to implement a worldwide potato shortage conspiracy. She wasn't really right about that."

Cameron's eyes narrowed. "Potato shortage? To what purpose? " she asked.

Dawn laughed. "Don't mind Xander," she told her, "he tends to ramble. Oh and look, here's Buffy and Willow."

Buffy whisked into the room with a large bowl of pasta held in both hands. The blonde girl wore a cooking apron over her red leather pants and a black tank top. "I thought I heard a different voice out here," she said pleasantly when she saw Cameron. "Hi, I'm Buffy."

Cameron smiled. "Hello Buffy, my name is Cameron."

Buffy smiled, and then turned to Dawn. "Dawn, I thought we discussed bringing new people here. As in 'we wouldn't'," she said quietly while leaning in so only Dawn could hear.

Dawn glared at her sister. "It's not my fault the only friends you've ever had live in this house. Some of us have to make new friends. Cameron was in my dance class. She's actually really good."

"I have more than two friends," Buffy replied

"Well I don't!"Dawn angrily shot back.

"Ok, ok," said Buffy, putting the pasta on the table, where Xander promptly helped himself. "I'm sorry. I know all the moving is hard," she said, then turning to Cameron "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make this awkward. You're totally welcome for dinner. I just wish Dawn would give us more warning."

"That's ok," Cameron said. "My family doesn't like unexpected guest either."

"Well, now that that's out of the way," said the red head who had accompanied Buffy into the room, "hello Cameron, I'm Willow."

"Hello."

"Please, sit, eat, be merry!" said Xander in a muffled voice, due to his mouth being filled with pasta.

Cameron seated herself next to Xander, with Dawn across from her. Buffy took the head of the table, and Willow sat next to Dawn.

After retrieving a large plate of the orange pasta, Dawn looked over at Cameron, who had only about 5 spoonfuls worth on her plate. "Aren't you hungry after that big dance'ie workout?"

"I ate before class," answered Cameron after a moment's silence. "I'm not a big eater."

"Well, I'll eat the rest of her share," said Xander, grabbing the bowl to refill his own plate.

They all ate in silence, until Willow leaned close to Dawn "She's a real looker Dawny," she whispered, "you thinking about coming over to my side?"

She had said it very quietly, but Cameron's eyes shot to Willow. 'She must be wondering what she's whispering, there's no way she could have heard that,' thought Dawn, but it didn't stop her face from turning bright red. She elbowed Willow for the embarrassment.

"Ouch!" protested Willow.

"Children please," said Buffy, "no fighting at the table."

They all laughed, and after a moment Cameron joined in.

"Ok Mom," mocked Willow, between giggles.

Cameron's face suddenly went blank when her cell phone rang, her laughter ending abruptly.

"Yes?" she answered after flipping open the phone, and then responded "I see. I'm on my way."

"You have to go so soon?" asked Dawn after Cameron closed the cell.

"Yes. Family emergency," she answered, then after a seconds pause added, "thank you for the lovely meal."

"No problem, anytime, I hope everything is ok..." answered Buffy, but Cameron was already heading for the door.

After she was gone the four sat in silence.

"Strange girl," commented Xander.

"Hot though, don't you think Dawn?" added Willow with a big smile.

Dawn just glared at her, but she couldn't help but feel her face getting warm. 'What kind of 19 year old blushes like a preteen?' she silently berated herself.


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn went to her next dance class, but she told herself it wasn't just to see her new friend. It was less easy to tell herself that she wasn't disappointed when Cameron wasn't there however.

Nor was she there the next week.

Dawn felt like she had been rejected, which was silly, but why would Cameron not show all of a sudden? Could it have to do with her 'family emergency'? She told herself it must be, and then felt selfish for thinking it had anything to with her. She was convinced she wasn't coming back though, and couldn't help but feel a little dejected when she thought their one meeting would be their last.

She wanted Cameron to be her friend, but why she couldn't say. The girl wasn't exactly friendly, quite the contrary, she emitted an air of cool indifference. When she looked at you you got the feeling that she wasn't quite sure what she was looking at, but was only mildly interested, like a cat staring at a fish in a fishbowl. Even the way she talked was odd. At first Dawn compared it to someone who knew English as a second language, but then she had disregarded that idea. It was more like her English was TOO good, like you were talking to someone who makes a living being a professional phone recording, with a type of cold crisp courtesy.

The girl was odd. And it made Dawn uneasy how much she thought about how odd the girl was. It wasn't like she was attracted to her, she was a girl, and despite Willow's jokes and ribs, Dawn was a hetero sexual female. She just hadn't had a friend in awhile, besides the Scoobies, who were more like brothers and sisters, and always had their own stuff going on.

She decided she wasn't going to go to the next class. She fully expected Cameron to no show again for the third week in a row, and she didn't want to bother with the disappointment nor the bitchy dance instructor, Ms Russo.

She did go however, changing her mind at the last minute, but deciding this was going to be the last time. She walked in five minutes late, to the seething displeasure of Ms. Russo. As she took her regular place near the back, she glanced over to Cameron's usual spot, but was disappointed once more. There was no Cameron, just a portly older woman who still had way more agility than Dawn could hope to accomplish.

"Hello," said a familiar voice to Dawn's left. She turned and her heart skipped a beat.

"Hi," she stammered after a long awkward pause.

"I decided to move my spot next to yours." Cameron told her.

"Great! I didn't think you were coming back," said Dawn. "Not that I thought about it a lot. I don't mean to say I didn't think about it at all. Um. I mean, I thought about it a medium amount." She knew she had put her foot firmly and completely in her mouth, and she felt like a complete idiot.

Thankfully, Cameron only said "Ok, that's good," in a completely non-mocking voice, to Dawn's ultimate relief.

"So?" asked Dawn.

"So."

"Where were you these past two weeks?" asked Dawn.

"Oh. Family Stuff. My bro-"

"LADIES!" screamed the Dancing Instructor.

"Sorry, Ms. Russo," said Dawn, and then shot Cameron a look that said 'we'll talk after class.'

The class went on silently, with Cameron moving in graceful litheness, and Dawn swaying clumsily, until finally it was over.

"So what happened to your brother?" asked Dawn while she collected her things from the locker room.

"Nothing. We went on a trip, that's all."

"A vacation?" asked Dawn, "fun! I wish I could go on a vacation. Where did you go?"

"Alberta."

"Canada?"

"Yes."

"Why so far?"

"My mom had business there," said Cameron, "thank you for the lovely meal. I like your family."

"Only Buffy is family. She's my sister. Willow and Xander are friends, but they live with us. They're like family, pretty much, but not blood. The three of them have been friends forever."

"Oh. Thank you for explaining."

Dawn giggled at the strange remark. "No problem I guess..."

"Well, goodbye," said Cameron, turning to leave.

"Hey, wait. Did you want to hang out or something? You can come to supper again if you want. Maybe stay more than twenty minutes."

"No."

"Oh, ok," said Dawn, instantly feeling rejected.

"I can't," explained Cameron. "My family and I have some things to do."

"Oh, gotcha," said Dawn."No problemo."

Cameron turned to leave again, walked a few steps, then stopped. She stood still for what seemed like a long time, then turned back.

"Tomorrow night."

"What?"

"I can come over tomorrow night."

Dawn smiled at her. "Ok, great!"


	4. Chapter 4

The next night Dawn prepared the meal herself, not letting Buffy, with her acute skills of ruining even the simplest recipes, near the kitchen. It had been an Italian dish, that was a big hit in the house, especially with Xander, who had eaten three plates full, then two hours later had finished off the leftovers.

Everyone agreed that the meal was a total success, except for Cameron, how wasn't there. She hadn't shown up.

Dawn spent the rest of the night brooding in her room. She decided she didn't like Cameron anymore. She didn't want to be her friend. There had been too much of her not showing up when Dawn had expected her, and Dawn didn't need that in a friend.

She didn't remember falling asleep, but she woke suddenly when someone knocked loudly on her bedroom door.

She glanced at the clock. 11:46pm.

"What?" she yelled.

"Dawn, can I come in?" Willow asked from the hallway.

Sigh."Ok."

The door opened. "Hi," greeted Willow.

"Hi."

"What's up?"

"Nothing."

Are you bummed that Cameron didn't show for dinner?" Willow asked.

"Pssh. Who cares."

"Well good, I'm glad you aren't upset."

"Nah, no biggie," Dawn said, trying her best to sound convincingly upbeat, "I think I'm just going to turn in for the night."

"That's a good idea, get a good night's sleep."

"Yeah."

"So I'll just tell Cameron to go on home."

"...What?"

Willow let out a giggle before putting on the straightest face she could muster. "Well, she's downstairs, she wanted to come up and see you, but I'll just tell her you're asleep."

Willow slowly began to close the door, but before it shut Dawn spoke up. "No Willow," she said, "that's ok, send her up please. And you're a jerk."

Willow gave a look of extreme hurt, but then cracked a smile, "I'll send her up."

A minute later there was a light rap on her door again. "Come in," Dawn called.

The door open and Cameron walked in. She closed the door behind her, and then smiled at Dawn. "Hello," she greeted.

"Hi," Dawn said coolly.

"May I sit?" Cameron asked, then after a curt nod from Dawn she seated herself of the edge of the bed.

Dawn didn't bother sitting up. "So, what do you want?" she asked, her voice dripping with venom.

"I wanted to apologize for missing dinner," Cameron began, "I had family trouble."

"Your family seems to have a lot of trouble."

Cameron considered this for a few seconds. "Yes. They do. And quite frequently I will have to miss planned events, or may have to leave suddenly, if they call. I'm sorry. It doesn't mean I don't want to be your friend. I do want to be your friend. My family is just..." she paused, looking for the right phrase. "...messed up," she finally decided on.

Dawn could relate to having a messed up family, but she didn't want to forgive Cameron quite yet. "It's late," she observed, changing the subject to something else she could be mad at. "I was sleeping."

"I couldn't get away until now. I'm sorry, but I wanted to come over and apologize for my absence."

Dawn sighed. How could she stay mad at such an apologetic girl?

"I don't know if I want to be friends with someone who is so unreliable," Dawn teased.

Cameron's face remained emotionless for the most part, but her eyes opened a little wider, as if in surprise. "I'm sorry," she said "I don't know how to be a good friend. This is all new to me. I have obligations that must come before everything else. That will never change. I like you, but I understand if you don't think it would be a positive relationship for you. I will leave now. Goodbye." She stood and quickly paced to the exit. Obviously she hadn't heard the sarcasm in Dawn's voice.

"Cameron, wait!" Dawn called before she reached the door.

Cameron turned back, her face a total blank, except for her eyes; they had barely changed, but something about them, very subtly, looked hurt to Dawn.

"I was kidding, Cameron," Dawn told her, putting on her most beaming smile to try and repair the damage she'd caused in the pretty girl's eyes.

"Oh. Really?" Cameron asked.

"Heh. Yes. I'm sorry if you thought I was serious."

"That's ok. I'm not good at picking up sarcasm." Cameron confided.

"So will you hang out for awhile? Watch a movie or something?" Dawn asked.

"No. I can't. Sorry," Cameron told her. "I will tomorrow night though. It's Friday. People like to watch movies on Fridays."

"I guess they do," Dawn agreed, giggling.

"Ok then, I'll see you tomorrow night."

"If there's no family emergency, right?" Dawn kidded.

"Right."

Cameron turned to leave again, but before she could Dawn jumped off the bed and wrapped her in a big hug. After a few seconds Cameron hugged back, tentatively and awkward, like she had never hugged anyone before, and she was afraid she'd crush them. Dawn chopped it up to just another odd thing about the girl though, and gave her a final squeeze before holding her at arm's length.

"Thank you for coming here tonight," she said. "You really hurt my feelings when you didn't show up, but I understand now that it wasn't your fault. You made it better. I'm glad we can be friends."

Cameron's eyes scanned Dawn's face before smiling. "Me too." She said.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok. Goodnight Dawn."

And with that she left.

Dawn crawled back into bed. She smiled when she thought of Cameron; so strange, but in an interesting way. She wasn't like other girls, of that Dawn was sure. She thought of her pretty eyes before finally falling happily off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Cameron showed up the next night, and Dawn led her to the living room.

"I didn't know what you wanted to watch," Dawn commented, "so I thought we could watch 'Twilight'. I haven't seen it yet, but I hear it's good, and I wanted to see what all the buzz was about."

"I've never heard of it." Cameron admitted.

"You've never heard of 'Twilight?" Dawn asked, astounded. "It's like, the most popular movie right now. Well, mostly with pre-teen girls, but still."

Cameron shrugged. "I don't watch a lot of movies."

Dawn arched an eyebrow, 'who hasn't heard of twilight?' she thought, but she let the subject drop. "Let me go grab some popcorn."

Cameron followed her into the kitchen. "Where is your sister, and your friends?" She asked.

Dawn tossed the un-popped bag of popcorn into the microwave and started it. "They're out someplace. They don't spend many nights at home. They keep pretty busy."

"My family also keeps pretty busy," Cameron commented nonchalantly. "What does your sister do?"

"Oh, um, just goes to movies and parties and stuff. What about your family?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Same."

Dawn looked at her quizzically. "Your Mom goes to parties?"

"No, just my brother," she clarified. "My mother sells high end real estate."

"Oh. I'd like to meet them sometime."

Cameron's distressed eyes shot to Dawn's face, but once she saw Dawn's confused expression she smiled, and her shoulders visibly relaxed. "Maybe," she said, but then added "I don't really get along with them though, so I try to spend as little time there as possible. My mother is kind of anal."

"Oh, I can relate to that. Not my Mom, she was awesome, but Buffy can be a bit of a turd sometimes."

"Yes, older siblings sometimes feel the need to be a parental figure when the biological parents are no longer present," Cameron explained matter-o-fact'ly.

Dawn had no idea how to respond to Cameron's odd statement, and was thankful when the microwave timer beeped to indicate that the popcorn was done. "C'mon, let's watch the movie."

She led Cameron back into the living room with her large bowl of popcorn, turned off the lights and pressed play on the DVD player.

She threw herself into the large sofa and rested her feet on the coffee table, the picture of complete comfort. Cameron sat next to her, her back straight, her posture rigid.

"Jeez Cam, relax," Dawn teased.

Cameron leaned back, letting her back rest against the sofa cushions, but somehow still seemed stiff. Dawn rolled her eyes, but decided not to press the issue. She turned her attention to the film.

The movie progressed, and Dawn ate nearly the entire bowl of popcorn herself. She offered some to Cameron, who had taken a single piece and threw it into her mouth, but didn't take any more until the next time Dawn offered her some, in which case she took a single piece again. It was clear she was only taking it because she was offered, so Dawn didn't offer anymore, and watched the movie in silence.

"That was so stupid!" Dawn exclaimed when the movie was finally over. "Vampire's don't turn sparkly in the sunlight, they go all burnified!"

Cameron turned away from the screen for the first time since the movie began and looked at Dawn. "It was a work of fiction," she explained seriously. "Vampires are made-up creatures, so by definition they can do what ever the teller of the story deems appropriate."

"Oh, yeah, I know that," Dawn stammered, realizing who she was talking to. "I just mean, most movies say they can't go out in the sun."

Cameron looked at her oddly, so Dawn quickly changed the subject. "Did you like it?"

"I'm not sure," she answered after a short pause.

"How about that Jacob?" Dawn asked. "That dude was way too hot for a kid."

Cameron paused again. "I liked Alice," she said finally.

"Huh? Alice?" asked Dawn, confused. "Are you gay or something? Not that there's anything wrong with that. My friend Willow is a lesbian."

This time Cameron's pause was even longer. "No, I'm not gay. I just found the actress who portrayed Alice more physically attractive then Jacob or Edward."

"Normally when girls find women more attractive than men, they're gay."

Cameron pondered this for a moment. "That's true," she admitted. "But I'm not gay."

Dawn laughed. "Ok, ok, you're not gay. I guess I can see what you mean. I'm open-minded. Alice was pretty hot."

"Yes," Cameron agreed.

"Hey, are you hungry?" Dawn asked.

"No. Why?"

"Oh. I'm starving, and I was hoping we could go to this all-night dinner that's near here."

"I'll go with you if you want to go." Cameron said.

"Ok great!"

Dawn grabbed her jacket and they walked to Cameron's SUV parked in the driveway.


	6. Chapter 6

"So what kind of music do you listen to?" Dawn asked between mouthfuls of her large bacon cheese burger.

"I don't really listen to music," Cameron admitted.

Dawn stared, mouth agape, until she realized it was full of food and must have looked revolting. She shut it promptly. "You don't listen to music?" she mumbled, astonished.

"Not really."

"And you don't watch movies."

"No."

"How can you not like listening to music and watching movies?" asked Dawn.

Cameron paused thoughtfully, before answering. "It's not that I don't like those things. I enjoyed the movie tonight, even though it was kind of asinine. My family just doesn't do things like that," she explained.

Dawn refocused her attention on the too large burger in front of her while she digested this information. She had ordered fries and a milkshake as well, and felt like a complete pig as Cameron sipped her Coke, the only thing she had ordered.

Suddenly her head shot up as a revelation occurred to her. "Your family is real religious, aren't they?" she asked, sure that that would explain all of Cameron's oddities.

Cameron's right eye brow arched. "No, why?"

"Oh," Dawn said, blushing, "no reason."

They sat in silence for a time. Dawn felt uncomfortable, but when she looked at Cameron she seemed completely at ease, smiling at her pleasantly.

"Ok, don't take this the wrong way," Dawn said, breaking the awkward (on her part anyway) silence, "but were you home schooled?"

"No. I wasn't. Why are you asking so many questions?" Cameron asked, somewhat accusingly.

"I'm just trying to figure you out," explained Dawn. "I'm sorry; I must seem like a total good cop-bad cop all rolled into one to you. You're just sort of strange."

Cameron's eyes narrowed.

"Not in a bad way!" Dawn quickly added, "It's refreshing, actually. I'm used to everyone always having some witty comment or joke about everything you say. But you're not like that. It's kind of neat."

Cameron continued to glare. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked.

Dawn sighed. "No," she said, "I'm not. Honest. Scout's honour."

Cameron's eyes looked away and her face became thoughtful. Finally she relaxed, and nodded. "Thank you," she said.

Dawn snickered. "Jeez, it's no biggie. I didn't say you were cool or anything. I just said you weren't a smartass," she teased.

Cameron laughed with her, and Dawn noted that this was the first real time she had heard her laugh. Her true laugh, not the one people used to be polite. It was a whimsical sound, light and pretty, but still sort of out of place, like she didn't use it often. Dawn decided she liked the noise, and would do whatever she could to get Cameron to laugh as much as possible.

The restaurant was empty, except for the two girls in their booth and a waitress who had disappeared, probably to talk to some unseen cook in the kitchen, so when Dawn heard the bell above the front door chime she craned her neck to see the new arrival, and her laughter stopped abruptly.

Vampires.

Two of them, Paul and Dredge. They were locals here in LA, who had managed to avoid all of Buffy's attempts to destroy them, and had been a thorn in the side of the Scoobies for the last few months, thus gaining some minor notoriety in the underground demon community. Buffy was even considering calling in backup, some of the Slayerettes, maybe Kennedy or Violet, in from the field to help. There were Slayers all over the world, but LA was Buffy and Willow territory, and usually that was all that was needed.

Their newfound popularity had apparently made Paul and Dredge brave, or perhaps brazen, because Vampires didn't come to this part of town unless they were looking for trouble.

Dawn had recognized them, and she knew if they saw her they'd recognize her too.

"Um, I dropped my fork," she muttered to Cameron, and quickly ducked in under the table.

"Hey, isn't that the Slayer's sister?" She heard Dredge ask in his husky voice.

'Crap, too late,' thought Dawn, returning slowly to her sitting position.

"Your fork is on the table," Cameron told her.

Dawn didn't respond. The Vampires were on their way over.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey Little Summers," Paul greeted Dawn in his squawky voice, "where's big Sis?"

He had strolled over to stand in front of their booth, and was now blocking any thoughts of escape, while his bigger counterpart stood over his shoulder.

"She's on her way here actually," Dawn said with as much fake confidence that she could muster, "She's meeting me. She should be here any second."

Paul snickered. "I don't think that's a hundred percent true, do you Dredge?"

"Nope," Dredge said happily. Dredge was huge, but stupid. Paul was obviously the brains of the operation; Buffy had told her he was the more dangerous of the two, despite his small rat like appearance.

The waitress peeked out the kitchen door and quickly retreated, obviously not liking the looks of the newcomers.

"Dawn, who are these men?" Cameron asked, apparently totally unthreatened. 'If she only knew,' Dawn couldn't help but think.

"They're friends with my sister," Dawn told her. "Something tells me she's going to want to talk to them once she gets here."

She had tried to sound as menacing as possible, but Paul only smiled and leaned in closer. "Your sister isn't coming," he told her smugly. "We got word her and the witch were over in Santa Monica, raiding a nest. No one's coming to save you."

"Dawn, these men have no heart beats," Cameron said, her confusion plain in her voice.

"They aren't men," Dawn whispered, nearly inaudible. She never took her eyes off Paul's smiling face. "They're vampires, and they're going to kill us."

"Oh," said Cameron.

Paul leaned in even closer, mere inches from Dawn's face. "That's right little girl, we're going to ki-" he broke off suddenly when he was surrounded by a green smoke cloud.

He turned around abruptly, but where his partner had been, Cameron now stood, examining a layer of grey-green dust that had collected over her fist and forearm. "They die easily enough," she said, never taking her eyes off the remains of Dredge on her arm.

"What the fu-" Paul started, before Cameron's other arm shot out, her fingers wrapping around his throat. Paul was suddenly a foot off the ground, his hands clawing at Cameron's arm, trying to break the hold. She still didn't look up from the green filth on her other arm.

"How interesting," she mused to herself quietly while scrutinizing the dust, "I have never heard of such a thing actually existing. How could Vampires possibly be real, and we not know? The theory about destroying the heart is apparently true enough."

Paul made some unintelligible squeak, and Cameron's eyes shot to his, like the sound had reminded her of his presence, suspended by her one arm a foot above the tiled floor. "Do you turn into a bat?" she asked it. He tried to kick her, but if it caused her pain in any way her face didn't show it.

Dawn sat there in shocked silence, absolutely astonished.

Cameron must have squeezed his neck tighter because he grimaced in pain.

"Bat?" she repeated, arching her eyebrow, her face making it clear her patience was running out.

"No," he grumbled, wincing in pain.

"Sunlight?" she asked, and when he didn't immediately answer she tightened her grip. The skin of his neck around her fingers was beginning to rip.

"Kills!" he shouted, the immense pain obvious in his expression.

"Holy water?"

"It burns us!" he screamed immediately, not wanting to cause her to squeeze any more.

"And crosses?" She asked.

"Burns!"

"Beheading?"

"Yes! It kills!"

"And you kill people? You drink their blood?"

"Yes!"

"And you were going to kill Dawn?"

"Yes!"

Her face looked thoughtful for a moment, and then her eyes drifted to Dawn's. They didn't break eye contact as Paul suddenly erupted into an explosion of green dust as her fingers tightened to his neck's apparent breaking point. Her face didn't change as the ashes drifted down over her, her expression unreadable as she regarded Dawn.

Dawn looked at Cameron as if for the first time. 'Is she a Slayer?' she thought to herself, totally stunned. That was the only explanation for this petite, beautiful girl to have the kind of power to destroy two Vampires so easily. 'But if she is a Slayer, wouldn't she know about Vamps? Isn't it like, built in? And if she is a Slayer, she's the strongest one ever, even Buffy wouldn't be able to kill both Paul and Dredge without even breaking a sweat.'

"What are you?" she finally whispered.

Cameron grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the seat, forcing her to a standing position. "Come on," she told her, "we need to talk."

Dawn let Cameron lead her by the arm out of the restaurant and into the parking lot. She opened her SUV's passenger door, and Dawn promptly hopped into the seat. Cameron walked around the vehicle and got into the driver's side, but never took her eyes off Dawn. Dawn shuddered. 'It's like she's making sure I don't bolt,' she thought.

Cameron turned the ignition, and then they were moving.

"Where are we going?" Dawn asked when she realized they were heading away from her home.

"My house," Cameron told her.

Dawn stared at her, eyes wide. She had wanted to see Cameron's house and meet her family, but now something in the brunette's stiff posture and calm expression, especially her eyes; completely emotionless and cold, scared her.


	8. Chapter 8

Dawn tried to ask the questions that needed answers. who was she, what was she? But Cameron sat silently, apparently totally focused on the road, so Dawn gave up and stared out the passenger side window for the duration of the ride.

After nearly a twenty minute drive the SUV pulled into a driveway in front of a large two story house. "Nice place," Dawn commented, but Cameron didn't respond; she opened the door and quickly circled the vehicle, opened Dawn's door and grabbed her wrist again, dragging her out of the seat.

Instead of leading Dawn into the house Cameron towed her around it, into the backyard, then into a large brown shed.

Cameron flicked on the lights and Dawn surveyed the room. At first glance it looked like any other work shed, tools, pieces of wood, regular stuff, except for the large pit built on the floor. It was made with cinder blocks, about three feet wide, six feet long, and three feet high. Dawn shivered, it reminded her of a coffin, and things had obviously been burnt there.

"What's that for?" she asked, nodding towards the pit.

"Nothing," Cameron answered curtly. It was the first time she had spoken since the restaurant, and she didn't sound happy. "Sit there," she told Dawn, pointing to a stool.

Dawn complied, and Cameron leaned against the work table built into the wall, a few feet away. Dawn watched her anxiously, nervous. Something about her cold attitude frightened her.

Then she saw it.

Next to Cameron's hand that rested on the table, only a few inches away, was a small, black, handgun. Cameron noticed her eyeing it. "It's a Glock 17." She told her, picking it up, as if to examine it. "Silenced," she said, pointing to the black tube attached to the barrel.

"Why do you have it?" Dawn asked nervously.

"Why does anyone have a gun?"

Not wanting to say the obvious, Dawn mumbled "Protection?"

"Among other things," Cameron said.

"Why are we out here?" Dawn asked, wanting to change the subject to something non-gun related.

"It's past one am. I don't want to wake my family," Cameron answered. "You have put me in a difficult situation, and I felt this would be the best place to figure it out."

"What situation?" Dawn asked, very much aware that Cameron didn't put the gun down, but was still idly looking at it.

"You know my secret," Cameron replied. "Well, at least enough of it that it could become a security risk. Now I need to decide how to deal with you."

"Your secret? What secret?" Dawn asked, her voice cracking with fear.

"Yes. I am a Terminator. A Cybernetic Organism."

Dawn's expression was completely blank, and Cameron rolled her eyes. "A robot. I'm a scary robot."

"Oh," Dawn said. "That sort of makes sense I guess. I've known a few scary robots. None as convincing as you though."

"You've known robots before?" Cameron asked, suspicious.

"Yeah, this jerk named Warren used to build them. He's dead now though. Jeez, god forbid I find a friend who actually wants to be my friend because she likes me. What's wrong with me? Life stinks," Dawn commented, her bottom lip pouting.

Cameron hesitated, and then said "I did like you. I don't have friends. I act weird, and people are uncomfortable around me. I had a friend once, but I tried to help him and he got mad at me. I really wanted to be your friend, but now you know what I am."

"What are you going to do? Kill me?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Cameron replied calmly.

"Why? Why can't we still be friends?" Dawn pleaded.

"My mission is to protect my brother, and you knowing what I am puts his safety in jeopardy."

"I won't tell anyone! I promise," Dawn pleaded.

Cameron seemed torn. Her gun hand began to rise a few inches, then dropped again. She looked at her hand, seemingly surprised, then confused. Her eyes looked up then, into Dawn's.

"If this was a few years ago I would have shot you and burned your body in that pit by now. In fact, this issue would have never come up, because we wouldn't be friends," she told Dawn, her eyes looking watery. "Something happened to my chip, and I'm not sure about any of this anymore. I know I should kill you, but I. Don't. Want. To."

Her voice sounded pained, and Dawn felt a strange sense of pity for her, despite the uncomfortable subject matter. "Maybe you're learning to be more human," Dawn whispered.

"What?" Cameron demanded.

"Well, people wouldn't want to kill their friends," Dawn told her. "They'd feel bad about it. Only something without emotion would be able to kill someone they're close to and not feel anything. So maybe what ever happened to your 'chip', it isn't such a bad thing. If you feel bad about it, maybe that means you have emotions."

Cameron seemed to think about this for a moment, and admitted "perhaps you're right. Parts of my chip were blocked, like all other Terminators, to curb our free thinking. Maybe that got unlocked somehow when my chip was damaged. It still doesn't change anything. I can't let you leave with this knowledge."

Cameron's gun began to rise again.

"Wait!" Dawn yelled.

"Please be quiet, I don't want to wake my family." Cameron scolded.

"Oh sorry," Dawn apologized. "But listen. I can keep secrets. My sister, and Willow, you remember them?"

"Yes."

"They have secret identities too. And I keep them secret. I keep secrets for people I care about."

Cameron paused, her eyes looking into Dawn's. Something about her expression worried Dawn; It looked dangerous, yet hopeful. Hard to read. "What are their secrets?" Cameron asked.

Dawn opened her mouth to explain about Slayers, witches, the whole nine yards, but then realized this was most definitely a test. "Can't tell. It's a secret."

Cameron's face looked uncertain. "Is it a big secret? Like mine?"

"Yes. Maybe bigger," Dawn said with confidence, "I'll bring you over tomorrow so they can tell you themselves, if you want."

That seemed to settle matters, as Cameron seemed genuinely curious now. "Really? They'd tell me?"

"If I tell them its ok," Dawn said. "But you have to prove to me you're still my friend."

"How?" Cameron asked, suspicious.

"Put down the gun?" Dawn asked.

Cameron put the gun on the table. "Ok."

Dawn let out a sigh. "Can you take me home now?"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want to let you out of my sight until tomorrow, when we go see your sister and her friend, together. I'd prefer it if you stayed here tonight."

Dawn mulled this over. "You won't point any more guns at me?" she asked.

"No," Cameron said, "promise."

"Fine. I have to call Buffy and let her know I'm sleeping here though."

"Ok," agreed Cameron.

Cameron reached out, her hand open, palm upright. Dawn looked into her eyes. They were worried. Pleading. "I'm sorry I was going to kill you. I didn't know what else to do."

Dawn hesitated. This girl had, mere moments ago, been literally ready to shoot her and burn her remains. How could she just forgive her like nothing had happened? But when she looked into Cameron's eyes she didn't see a cold blooded murderer, she saw a fragile, confused girl, who hadn't known how to handle a situation that had been outside her comfort zone. Maybe she was a killer robot, but she was still her socially awkward but charming friend, and she had grown to like her a lot.

Dawn put her hand into Cameron's. "It's ok," she told her sincerely. "I'm not angry. I should be, but I'm not."

Cameron smiled prettily. "I'm glad."

Dawn smiled back. "So do we have to sleep in this shed? Or do I get to see the inside of your house?"

"We can go inside; you can sleep in my bed. But please be quiet. I don't want to wake my family."

"Great. Let's go."


	9. Chapter 9

Cameron led her by the hand through the kitchen, up the stairs, down a short hallway and into a bedroom, all without turning on a light to see where she was going. Dawn stumbled along blindly, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Once inside the bedroom Cameron closed the door gently as to not make any noise and then turned on a desk lamp. The room was tiny and bare, its only furniture the small dresser that the lamp sat on and a tiny bed with a twin mattress.

"You can sleep there," Cameron told her, nodding towards the bed.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Dawn asked.

"I don't sleep."

"Oh."

Dawn slipped off her shoes, tip-toed to the bed and crawled in under the sheets. She unbuttoned her jeans and clumsily slipped them off under the covers, leaving her in her t-shirt and underwear. She kicked the jeans onto the floor; the thud they made when they hit reminded her that her cell phone was in her pocket, and that she had a call to make.

She quickly retrieved the phone and dialled.

"Dawn? Where are you?" Buffy answered, her voice panicky. 'Stupid caller id,' thought Dawn.

"Chill Buffy," Dawn told her, "I'm at Cameron's. I forgot to call earlier. I'm staying over."

"Dammit Dawn, can you be any more irresponsible?"

"You realize I'm an adult, right?" Dawn shot back.

She heard Buffy sigh on the other end. "You're right," she finally said.

Dawn felt instantly guilty. "I know you get worried," she told her sister, "I should have called. I'm sorry."

"Ok, thanks Dawn. You have a good night."

"Hey Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow you have to tell Cameron about the 'you being a slayer thing', and Willow's 'witchy thingy'. Please don't be mad, this is important, I'll explain tomorrow. I just wanted to warn you."

There was silence on the other end.

"Buffy?" Dawn finally asked, unsure if her sister had hung up on her.

"You're not supposed to tell people about that," Buffy told her in an overly calm voice. Dawn knew whenever Buffy used that particular voice she was anything but calm.

"Buffy, seriously, there's more to this than I can talk about right now," Dawn said, trying to defuse the Buffy-bomb that was about to explode. "We can trust Cameron. She saved my life tonight. We saw Paul and Dredge."

"WHAT!?" Buffy screamed.

"Chill out Buffy!" Dawn exclaimed. "I'm fine. We're fine. Cameron saved me."

"Tell me everything, right now."

"I can't right now," Dawn said. She figured Cameron wouldn't appreciate her talking about her, let alone over a cell phone. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok, ok. You're sure you're ok?" Buffy asked, concerned.

"I'm fine Buffy, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok, goodnight Dawn."

"Night."

Dawn snapped the phone shut and threw it onto her jeans piled on the floor. Dawn glanced up at Cameron, who stood motionless, watching her. She looked especially beautiful illuminated by the lamplight, but Dawn couldn't help but see the dangerousness when she looked at the pretty girl.

'She is dangerous', Dawn thought. 'So why am I not afraid?'

"Are you going to stand there all night?" she asked when it became apparent Cameron was content to stand in silence.

"Yes. I don't need to sleep, and I can't leave you here alone."

"Well I can't sleep with you standing there all creepy like," Dawn told her.

Cameron sounded a little hurt when she replied "I'm not leaving."

"You don't have to, just don't act so weird. Here," Dawn said, sliding over towards the wall, making room in the bed, "get in. It can be like a slumber party."

Cameron looked at her quizzically. "I don't think so," she said finally.

"Come on, Cameron. It won't be weird. It'll be like when you were a little girl, Which you probably never were, come to think of it. Just get in." She lifted the blanket invitingly.

After a short pause Cameron did as she was asked.

"There, much better," said Dawn when the other girl was settled in besides her.

After a few moments Dawn realized Cameron hadn't relaxed, but lid there tense and straight. She sighed, but decided there was nothing she could do about it.

"Turn off the light?" Dawn asked. Cameron leaned over to flick off the lamp. She had hoped that if she couldn't see her it would be less strange.

It wasn't.

Even though their bodies were only inches apart Dawn couldn't feel the kind of heat you felt from a person who was in bed with you. It was such a minor thing, but It was off-putting. She tried not to think about it, but her mind kept focusing on the attractive robot girl lying next to her. Suddenly she noticed something happening that shouldn't be.

"Are you breathing?" she whispered.

"Yes," Cameron whispered back.

"Why?"

"If I didn't breathe people would notice," she explained.

"Oh. I guess so."

"Try to sleep now," Cameron said, patting Dawn's bare leg reassuringly under the covers.

Dawn felt her body erupt in goose bumps at the awkward touch. Her heart seemed to stop and her body was frozen in shock. She thought she should be creeped out, but decided that she wasn't. She felt strangely comforted by Cameron's cool touch for some reason that she couldn't pin-point. Earlier that night Cameron had been ready to kill her, but now her hand briefly on Dawn's bare leg had soothed her immensely.

Dawn tried to wonder why that was momentarily, but instead was soon snoring softly.


	10. Chapter 10

Dawn opened her eyes slowly. It took her a moment to realize where she was, the room unfamiliar in the morning sunlight that was streaming in through the open window.

As last night's events began to come back to her she rolled onto her back to find Cameron's place next to her empty. She was instantly disappointed.

"Why am I disappointed?" she questioned herself out loud, before stifling a huge yawn.

She stretched. This bed is pretty comfortable, she decided. She looked over at the alarm clock on the desk. The large red numbers told her it was 9:12am.

"I'm going back to sleep," she told herself firmly.

She had just closed her eyes when she heard a muffled voice outside the door, in the hallway.

"Who is she?" the voice asked. It was definitely a guy, and definitely angry.

"My friend," a feminine voice that she recognized answered curtly.

"You don't have friends," the male voice shot back, his frustration level obviously rising.

"Yes I do," said Cameron, "her name is Dawn."

"Mom is going to freaking kill you when she finds out about this, you know that don't you?"

So, the male was Cameron's brother.

"She didn't kill you when you brought Riley here."

"Yeah, and look how that worked out," he said, his voice getting so quiet that Dawn could barely hear. It wasn't a calm quiet though, more like a seething quiet. Dawn wasn't looking forward to meeting this guy.

"Riley was from the future, sent to manipulate you, and cloud your judgment. Dawn isn't," Cameron said simply.

'The future?' Dawn thought to herself.

"How do you know she isn't?" Cameron's brother shot back.

"Because I know," Cameron said. "Not everything is about you, John."

"What the hell are you talking about? You're acting so weird!"

There was a long pause before Cameron answered. "I'm sorry. You don't need to worry. If things get complicated, I'll take care of it."

John's voice was so quiet Dawn couldn't hear what he said next, but it sounded like a question.

"If I have to," Cameron answered. From last night's experience, Dawn could fill in the blanks.

John's voice softened. "Don't let it come to that Cameron," he told her. "I don't get why you want a friend all of a sudden, it doesn't make sense, but whatever. I don't want this innocent girl endangered because of the nonsensical whims of a Terminator with a damaged chip."

"I won't let it come to that," Cameron agreed.

"Ok well get her up and out of here before Mom comes home," John said. "If she needs to know, and I don't really know if she does, we better break this to her real easy."

"Ok," Cameron responded. "I'll be gone out for awhile. I'm going to check out her family today."

"Whatever," John said, his voice farther away now.

Dawn shut her eyes when she heard the doorknob turn.

She kept up her sleeping act as the door opened. She heard Cameron's footsteps and then felt the mattress adjust to her weight as she lay down next to her.

"I know you're not asleep," Cameron said.

Dawn smiled, but didn't open her eyes. "How did you know?"

"I can tell by your breathing pattern and heart rate," Cameron answered. "Besides, you snore."

Dawn's eyes shot open. "I do not!" she exclaimed.

"You do, but it's not loud. It's not unpleasant."

Dawn felt her cheeks get warm. "I do not," she insisted weakly.

"Did you hear me and John talking?" Cameron asked, changing the subject.

Dawn was about to lie, but then decided against it. "Yes," she said, "part of it, anyways."

"We should go now," Cameron told her.

"Ok," Dawn said, stretching again. "Do I get to meet your brother?" she asked, hoping the answer was 'no'.

"No."

"Oh, ok." Wow. Whenever she wished for something the opposite usually happened.

"I haven't decided if it's safe yet. My family is...dangerous, and I know nothing about your family and their 'secrets'. I want to know everything before you get to meet John. I need to protect them from you, and you from them."

"Fine. Whatever." Dawn said, sitting up. "Ok Rambler, let's get rambling."

"What?"

Dawn giggled at her confused expression. "Nevermind. It just means 'lets go'. I heard it in a movie one time. C'mon, time to go talk to Buffy and Willow."

"Yes. Let's go."


	11. Chapter 11

"You ready for this?" Dawn asked Cameron as they pulled into the driveway.

"Yes."

"Ok. Let's get this over with."

They exited the vehicle and Dawn led Cameron up the steps and in through the front door. "Hello?" she called, "anyone home?"

"In here Dawn," Came Buffy response.

They followed the voice into the living room where Buffy, Willow, and Xander waited for them.

"We have to talk," Buffy said sternly.

"Yeah, I reckon we do," Dawn answered.

"What's going on Dawn?" Buffy demanded. "I know you like Cameron. Willow thinks you 'like' like Cameron, which weirds me out to no end let me tell you, but we won't talk about that right now-"

Dawn felt her face grow warm in a deep blush. Cameron glanced at her, an unreadable expression on her face. 'How embarrassing,' she thought, 'thanks Sis.'

"She's your friend, I get it," Buffy continued. "BUT. You haven't known her very long. You can't tell our secrets to people, Dawn, no matter what kind of crush you have on them. You just can't."

Dawn shot Buffy a look that screamed to lay off the 'crush' talk but, if Buffy got the signal she didn't seem to care. Thankfully Willow interrupted whatever embarrassing thing Buffy was about to say. "Lay off the insta-mad Buffy," she said, "maybe she has a good reason." She gave Dawn a sympathetic look, knowing how torturous this must be.

"Willow is right Buff," Xander chipped in, "even if they're going all 'L Word', maybe-"

"Stop!" Dawn shouted. Four heads turned to her in surprised silence. She shot each of the Scoobies an angry glare for good measure before continuing in a quieter voice. "I am not going all 'L Word'. I don't even like that show. I'm not gay, ok?"

"Dawn, I didn't mean to make it seem like I was mad at you for that," Buffy said apologetically. "You know I have no problems with gay people. My best friend is like a team captain. It'll just take some getting used to, is all."

"Yeah Dawn, I can show you two the secret hand shake!" Willow chirped.

"There's a handshake?" Cameron asked innocently.

"And you're both really hot," added Xander, "which makes it even better. Hot lesb...-" he cut off when he noticed the four sets of feminine eyes glaring at him. "-never mind," he ended in a deflated voice.

"Guys, I'm seriously not gay," Dawn explained, "Drop it. And I haven't really told Cameron anything, but I think we should. She saved my life from Paul and Dredge. She killed them."

"Really?" Buffy asked, turning to Cameron, unconvinced. "You killed Paul and Dredge? You?"

"Yes," Cameron answered simply.

"How? You look sort of fragile."

"You tell me your secrets, I'll tell you mine," Cameron said.

"You're a robot!" Willow exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" Cameron, Buffy and Xander asked in unison, turning to Willow who seemed to be concentrating on Cameron intently.

"She is. I knew there was something weird about her life-force," explained Willow, "But I just shrugged it off. But when she said she killed Paul and Dredge I delved a little deeper."

Dawn noticed Cameron's eyes had a curious, but somehow dangerous, look as she regarded the witch. She obviously didn't like her cards being on the table so early. 'This could get ugly really quick,' Dawn thought. "Cameron," she whispered.

No response. Cameron just continued to stare at the redhead.

"Cameron," Dawn whispered more urgently.

Nothing.

Dawn knew what kind of thoughts were going through her mind. Finally she stepped closer to her, and reached out to grasp Cameron's hand in hers, successfully gaining her attention. Cameron glanced down at her hand in Dawn's, her fingers threaded through Cameron's, then to Dawn's face, her expression questioning.

"It's ok," she whispered reassuringly to the taller girl.

Cameron seemed to consider the words for a short moment before giving the tiniest nod.

Dawn realized the room was quiet. She turned back to the Scoobies, who all had their wide eyes on the two of them, holding hands. 'Let them think what they want,' Dawn told herself, 'I just saved them from a wicked fight.' Still, she felt her face getting warm again, and she couldn't help but examine the carpet as her family scrutinized her.

"Anyways," Willow continued, obviously noticing Dawn's discomfort, "what threw me off at first was that she is by no means a normal run-of-the-mill robot. Buffybot and Ted have got nothing on her. She is actually living blood, skin and tissue. So even when an experienced Witch, like me, sees her, all she'd notice is a living girl with an odd life force. Nothing really abnormal. A strange life-force is nothing to make note of, something as minor as a crappy breakfast could cause it to go out of wack for awhile."

Dawn squeezed Cameron's hand as Willow babbled excitedly. Willow had just absentmindedly told her she was a witch and Dawn was afraid of what kind of reaction it would cause; but if Cameron registered that fact her face didn't show it.

"And just the fact that she has a life force!" continued Willow, smiling in the excitement of discovering something new, something Willow lived for. "A robot with a life force! Can you imagine? Wow. But anyways, under her skin, blood, and all that goodness, is metal. She has to be the most advanced Robot on the planet. It's amazing."

"Wow," Buffy said, her eyebrows rising.

"Where did you come from?" Willow asked Cameron.

"The future."

"You're kidding," Buffy scoffed.

"No. I've been sent back to protect a future leader in the war against Terminators, and attempt to prevent Judgement Day," explained Cameron.

"Judgment day? What's that?" Buffy asked.

"I bet it's the day Judge Judy and Marilyn Milian finally duke it out," Xander chimed in.

"No," said Cameron, oblivious to the joke, "Judgment Day is the day when the machine's first attack: a series of strategic nuclear strikes to key targets all over the world. After that the Terminators begin their systematic extermination of the human race."

"Whoa," exclaimed Xander, sitting down heavily onto the sofa.

"What's a Terminator?" asked Buffy.

"I'm a Terminator," Cameron said coolly.

"Wait, I'm confused," said Buffy. "I thought you just said you were trying to kill us all, but you're also trying to prevent you from killing us all...what?"

"I fight for the resistance," Cameron explained. "The humans who are waging war against Skynet. Primarily it's humans against Terminators, but there are a few humans on Skynet's side, just as there are a number of Terminator's on the Resistance side."

"And what about- " Willow began, before being interrupted by Dawn.

"Guys," she said, "Cameron has answered your questions, and you can ask more later, if she's willing, but I think you better tell her who you are first."

Cameron gave Dawn's hand an appreciative squeeze.

"Yes, of course," Willow agreed, smiling. "We have a potential apocalypse three or four times a year-"

"One more and we get one for free!" added Xander.

"-I don't see why this one will be any different, we can handle it." Willow finished.

"I'm a Vampire Slayer," Buffy told Cameron. "You came across Paul and Dredge last night, so you've seen vampires. I'm a girl who has been 'chosen' to deal with them, and other demons and unmentionables. I have super strength, agility, speed. Pretty standard superhero stuff. I used to be the only one, but now there's hundreds, all over the world. I'm their leader, I guess you'd say, in the 'ongoing war of Good vs. Evil'."

"Interesting," Cameron commented casually.

Willow was next. "I'm Willow, and I'm a Witch," she began.

"Hi Willow!" Xander called in his best AA impression, another joke that Cameron didn't comprehend.

"I use spells and magic and all kinds of good stuff," Willow continued, "it's pretty neat."

"She's super powerful," Buffy added.

"Aw, shucks," Willow said, grinning and feigning embarrassment.

"And you?" Cameron asked, turning to Xander.

"Oh, um, er," Xander stammered, "I guess I'm the non-super representative. The sometimes moral support and usually useless group member."

"I see."

"That's not true," Willow told Xander sympathetically, "you have lots of uses. At least four!"

"Aw thanks Will," Xander responded appreciatively.

"So what do you think?" Dawn asked Cameron.

There was a short pause before Cameron answered. "I would like to spend more time with you all. I'd like to learn more about you, your powers, vampires, demons. Perhaps we could come to an equally beneficial amalgamation of our two organizations."

"Yeah, sure, amala'whatever," said Buffy, "and we should meet your people."

"No," Cameron said instantly. "Not until I am sure you pose no threat to them. The future depends on their survival."

"I understand your concern," Buffy said, "but I think we should at least have one of ours meet yours."

Cameron considered this for a moment. "Fine. I will bring Dawn to meet them. Tomorrow."

"Ok," said Buffy. "In the meantime, you're welcome to hang out here for the day."

"Thank you, I will," said Cameron.

That seemed like the impromptu end of the meeting, and the room became more casual. 'That went way better than I thought it would,' Dawn thought to herself, 'I hope meeting Cameron's family goes as well.' She had a feeling she wasn't going to be that lucky though.

As Buffy and Cameron conversed and Xander turned on the television Dawn noticed Willow looking at her, grinning broadly. Dawn shot her a questioning look, and Willow darted her eyes towards her hand, still wrapped in Cameron's. When she had forgotten to be embarrassed she had been totally comfortable with her hand interlaced with Cameron's that she had somehow forgotten that it was there at all.

Dawn unlocked her hand from Cameron's and walked the short distance to Willow. "It's not like that Will," she whispered into her ear, "I was just holding her hand for moral support."

"Dawn, I see the way you look at her," Willow whispered right back. "I know the signs, trust me. I'd be concerned, she is a robot after all, but she seems so advanced that she has conscious, independent thought. And an Aura! Can you imagine Dawn? A robot with feelings? Emotions?" She grinned, "And if the way she looks at you is any indication I'd say she has strong ones when it comes to you," she added, almost like an afterthought.

"Willow, you're way off base here."

"Heh, we'll see."

Dawn glanced over at Cameron, who was still talking to Buffy. Was Willow onto something? Could the tall, slender brunette really have feelings for her? She had assumed Cameron's feelings towards her were completely platonic, if she even had 'feelings' at all. Was it possible?

'Nah', she told herself, just as Cameron's eyes glanced towards her. Their eyes locked for the briefest moment, and Dawn's heart stood still. Cameron's perfect face was almost always totally inexpressive, but sometimes when she looked at her, there was something in those big brown eyes that could take Dawn's breath away.

When Cameron's eyes darted back to Buffy, Dawn turned back to Willow, who was nodding sagely, as if she knew more about Dawn's feelings than Dawn did herself.

'Maybe she does,' Dawn's inner voice said.

'Shut up Inner Voice!' Dawn thought angrily.

Dawn had been ignoring, avoiding, or disregarding the subject since meeting Cameron, but even though she tried, she couldn't deny that when she looked at Cameron her heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was time to examine those heart fluttering feelings.


	12. Chapter 12

Derek watched as the Metal talked to a living room full of people.

He was across the street from the house in a stolen car, looking through the window with a zoomed camera lens. He stayed low in the car seat; the last thing he needed was for Cameron to find him spying on her. That could end very badly.

She had been acting weird lately, weirder than normal. Sneaking out of the house, not telling the Connors where she was going, being gone for hours. Not normal behaviour for an obedient Terminator, and that made Derek wary, so he had followed her here. He certainly hadn't expected to find her hanging out with a bunch of civilians, that's for sure.

He occasionally snapped a photo, whenever he could see someone or something noteworthy. He took a photo of the Metal holding hands with some girl. 'What the hell is that all about?' he wondered. Sarah will like that one.

He took a photo of the guy with the eye-patch, who looked oddly familiar, then another when the red-head walked in front of the window.

'Who are these people?' he thought. 'What the hell is Cameron telling them?'

A blonde came into his view and stood talking to the metal.

"Hmm." Derek said to himself appreciatively.

Her back was to the window, but he could see her slender frame, wearing a tank top and tight sweat pants. Even though she was petite, her body looked hard, toned. It reminded him of Jesse's body.

He missed Jesse's body acutely as he admired hers.

He sighed, then took a photo of the blondes behind, just for good measure.

She was still back on when he decided it was time to go. Who knew how long Cameron was going to be, and he didn't want to be caught sitting outside the house with a camera in his hands. Besides, in his experience, if a girl looked that good from behind you were probably going to be disappointed when she turned around. He figured he was better off not knowing.

He turned the ignition.

'Damn you Jesse,' he thought. She had betrayed him and the Connors. She could never be forgiven. But dammit, he missed her.

He imagined what Jesse would look like with blonde hair. He couldn't picture it, and the idea made the usually stern man chuckle as he drove off.


	13. Chapter 13

Dawn led Cameron upstairs and into her room.

"That went surprisingly well," she commented as she closed the door behind her.

"Yes," Cameron said.

Dawn fell onto her bed in exaggerated exhaustion. "I was pretty nervous, but I'm glad it was ok. Think your family will take the news as well?"

Cameron sat on the edge of the bed. She shook her head slightly. "No."

"It's ok, we can deal with it. I'm not worried," Dawn answered bravely.

"You're not?" Cameron asked.

"Nah. You're my friend, nothing will change that. I don't care what people think."

"I don't understand," Cameron replied.

Dawn looked at her face, and could tell that she really didn't. There was no hint of sarcasm in her voice, or a smile implying a joke; Cameron really didn't understand a concept as simple as friendship that came so easily for most people. Sometimes she forgot what Cameron was. Sure she understood the very basic nature of friendship, but the deeper meaning that came so easily for people eluded her.

She sighed and patted the bed next to her.

Cameron stared at her.

"Lie down," Dawn demanded.

Dawn sighed when Cameron didn't immediately comply, but after a short pause she kicked her feet onto the bed and reclined next to her. Her posture was stiff and straight. "You really need to learn how to relax," Dawn commented.

Cameron didn't reply. She seemed genuinely uncomfortable, and Dawn sighed again.

She threw her arm across Cameron's midsection and moved closer.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"Cuddling. Friends can cuddle."

"Oh."

"Anyways, like I was saying," Dawn said, "it doesn't really matter if your family approves of our friendship. You'll still be my friend."

"They can make me stop seeing you."

"Well. I'm not saying 'I don't want them to approve'. It would sure make things easier for us. But even if you move to another country and I never see you again, you'll still be my friend, and I'll care about you."

Cameron pondered this for a moment. "I don't understand," she said finally.

Dawn sighed, and then made a mental note to stop sighing so much. "I know you don't," she said, resting her head on Cameron's shoulder, "but maybe you will, someday."

The room fell into a pleasant silence. Dawn was tired from being up late last night and early this morning, and she felt extremely comfortable with her head on Cameron's shoulder that she shut her eyes and knew she'd be dozing soon. She was nearly asleep when she heard Cameron whisper: "Maybe I will."

Dawn gave Cameron an encouraging squeeze, then drifted asleep.

* * *

(A/N: Sorry this hasn't been updated in awhile! Real life getting in the way. I'm sure you all know how it is, and I hope you can forgive me. I hope to update again soon. Probably over the next day or two.)


	14. Chapter 14

Derek walked into the house a little past six am. He assumed everyone would be asleep, but he wasn't surprised to see Sarah sitting at the kitchen table, cleaning an obviously already clean pistol. The photos he had taken earlier were scattered across the table.

"Morning," he greeted.

"You were out late," she said.

"Yeah. I went back to that house. Something weird is going on there."

"Why am I not surprised?" She sighed. "What is Cameron up to?"

"Nothing, as far as I can tell. She stayed in the house all night."

"So what's the weird part?"

"This one," he said, pointing to a photo of the small blonde girl. "I monitored the house until around midnight. All the lights were out at eleven, so I was about to leave, there wasn't much going on. Then she leaves the house, all dressed in black. I tailed her to some alley downtown where she met up with two other girls."

"Did you get pictures of them?" Sarah asked.

"No. Too dark. Couldn't get close."

"Sloppy."

He ignored the criticism and continued. "After meeting up the three girls, they seemed to be hunting something. They left their cars parked and walked through all the alleys and back streets. There was a pattern. It was almost systematic." He gave Sarah a meaningful look.

Sarah's eyes darted away as she digested the new information.

"That's not all," Derek said, "They found whoever it was they were looking for."

Sarah's eyes shot back to him, her look intense. "What happened?" she demanded.

"I wasn't close enough to see everything," Derek admitted, "I didn't want to get spotted. But let's just say they're a lot stronger than they look."

"Please tell me you're joking," Sarah almost pleaded.

"No. I'm not."

"God!" Sarah exclaimed, covering her face with her hands. "Three, Derek?"

"At least."

"What are we supposed to do?"

"As wrong as it is, I think you should call the Metal."

"Cameron?" Sarah asked, shocked. "Why?"

"To see where her loyalty is. She sometimes does stuff without telling us. Maybe she's working from the inside."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Derek, you're the last person I expected to stand up for Cameron."

"Look, I hate the metal. But she doesn't know we know. We need to know where she stands. Without her we can't survive here anymore. We'd have to move."

"Sounds good."

"But she knows everything, Sarah" he said. "Bank accounts, weapon stashes, everything. Even if we leave it all behind and somehow find someone she doesn't know about to set up new ID's and Visas, she knows what we look like and where to look. You think she doesn't have a little file in her 'chip' on each of us, with every little detail she's ever seen stored away? If we're moving, I'd rather not leave her here, just in case she hasn't shared her information with the others yet."

"What are you saying?"

Derek stared at Sarah. "I'm saying we get her here, get her seated and relaxed, as relaxed as she gets I mean, and I'll put my Rifle to the back of its head. If it moves, or says anything we don't like, one shot at that range will take care of it. If she doesn't fess up to everything and tell us exactly what's going on, we kill it."

"Dangerous." Sarah commented.

"So is leaving her behind to hunt us down."

"I know a safer way."

They both turned at the sound of John's voice.

He held up what looked like a pocket watch, but when he opened it there were three buttons.

"What is that?" Derek asked.

"She gave this to me when she realized her chip was compromised," John said, twirling the watch on its chain. "It's a remote detonator. It's attached to an explosive in her head."

"John, I don-" Sarah began before John interrupted.

"Mom, I can do this," he said, his expression was pained. "If she's working with other Terminators she's not on our side anymore. We need to find out. We need to destroy her before she destroys us."

Derek put his hand on his nephews shoulder. He didn't like having the Metal around, but he knew this was hard for John. "Only if she's turned, John," he said reassuringly.

"Let's hope she's not," Sarah added.

John closed his eyes, and Derek could see he was fighting back tears. "We'll do what we have to," he said finally.

(a/n so sorry about the wait. I know I sound like a broken record. This chapter has actually been done for a few weeks, but my beta has fallen on hard times and couldn't get around to doing this one. If theres anyone who would like to temporary fill in let me know, because I really appreciate a betas input. BUT the good news is, you won't have to wait long for the next update. The next two chapters are done, so they will be posted soon. I'll give it a day or two to see if a Beta wants to have a look, if not I'll post it as it is, like I did with this one. PS big stuff is happening soon!!)


	15. Chapter 15

Dawn woke to a phone ringing, just after 7 am.

"Whusat?" she murmured groggily.

"My phone," Cameron said, before flipping it open and answering.

Dawn drifted back to sleep momentarily, but stirred again when she heard her name mentioned.

"I'm going to bring my friend Cameron by to meet Sarah and Derek," she was saying.

Then, after a response from the other side, "Oh. Ok, I understand. Is something wrong? Is this urgent?"

Dawn sat up when she heard that, afraid something was wrong.

"Ok," Cameron continued, "Be there soon."

"Anything wrong?" Dawn asked after Cameron had hung up.

"I'm not sure," Cameron answered, looking away thoughtfully.

Dawn moved closer to her and placed her hand on her cheek, forcing her to look into her eyes. "What is it?" she asked, "you can tell me."

My brother called to tell me I had to come home," she explained, "I told John that I was bring you with me, and he said this wasn't a good time. I asked him if something was wrong, and he said there wasn't. But something in the pitch of his voice makes me think something is wrong. The way he answered when I mentioned you as well, it was out of character. There's something he's not telling me. I have to go."

Dawn's chest suddenly felt tight. Something in the way she described the conversation left a bad impression in her mind. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something bad was happening.

Cameron got to her feet, and Dawn followed her. Cameron looked just as she did the day before, wearing the same jeans and tank top, her hair perfect; while Dawn was wearing her old but comfy pyjamas, and could tell her hair was a mess. She felt like a slob compared to the beautiful Cameron, but when she turned around those thoughts disappeared.

"You don't need to follow me," Cameron said. "Go back to bed, I can let myself out."

"Don't leave," Dawn pleaded.

"I have to," Cameron said with no room for compromise.

"I feel like something is wrong too," Dawn said, looking into Cameron's big brown eyes. "I don't know, but it seems like once you leave, we won't get to hang out anymore or something. I have a really bad feeling about this. I don't want you to go."

"I have to," Cameron repeated in the same no nonsense tone as before.

Dawn hugged her in a desperate attempt to stall for time. "Don't go," she whined.

"Dawn, you don't understand. If he tells me to come, then I go."

"But he even said there wasn't any trouble. He said so."

"I have to go Dawn," Cameron said, not unkindly but in a way that said it wasn't up for debate.

"Tell me I'm being silly then," Dawn insisted. "Tell me I'm way off base here, and that we'll

Hang out later today."

Cameron didn't answer.

"Oh my god, you feel it too," Dawn whispered. She felt a tear streak down her cheek, but she didn't care.

"I don't know Dawn," Cameron said. "I don't know what's going to happen. But I have to-"

Before Cameron could finish what she was about to say Dawn's mouth was over hers. Dawn didn't want to hear about her leaving, and the only thing that occurred to her to do to make her stop talking was to kiss her, so she did.

She put both arms around Cameron's shoulders. At first Cameron's lips were stiff and unmoving, her mouth a straight line. Dawn was afraid of the embarrassment of kissing her best friend and her best friend not kissing back in that brief moment of one-sidedness, but then Cameron's lips parted ever so slightly.

Dawn took advantage of the softening of Cameron's lips with a relieved but passionate fervour. Cameron's perfect lips barely moved, but seemed to respond ever so slightly to Dawn's. They kissed for a long time. Dawn's arms round her shoulders, and eventually Cameron's tentative hands rested on Dawn's hips.

Finally Dawn pressed her lips firmly onto Cameron's one finally time, then broke contact. She put her head under the taller woman's chin, resting it on her chest. "I'm sorry," she said.

There was a long pause. Dawn became more and more worried that she had just ruined the friendship until Cameron finally spoke. "No," she said. "You don't need to be sorry."

"I kissed you. I shouldn't have done that."

"No, you shouldn't have," Cameron said, and for a brief second Dawn's heart sank, but then she added "but I didn't mind."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"That was the first time I kissed a girl," Dawn admitted.

"That was the first time I kissed anyone," Cameron said.

Dawn raised her head to look into her eyes again. "Seriously?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Wow," said Dawn, astonished. "Boy, do I feel special."

"But I still have to go," Cameron reminded her.

"I know," Dawn said sadly.

Surprisingly, Cameron leaned forward and let her lips caress Dawn's once more. Her kiss was soft and awkward, brief and amazing.

When their lips parted again Cameron smiled shyly, and then she was gone.

She left Dawn a mix of intense happiness and wonder. Still, when she fell back onto her bed in barely subdued glee, somewhere in the huge palette of emotions she was feeling, she felt an acute sense of foreboding.


	16. Chapter 16

When Cameron walked in through the back door Derek, John and Sarah were all standing in the kitchen with serious faces.

"Sit down," Sarah told her.

Cameron pulled out a chair and sat to the table, her posture perfect. "What's going on?" she asked.

"That's what we need to know," Derek said cryptically.

"We have to talk, Cameron," John told her.

"Then talk," she replied.

"We have a lot of questions about what you've been up to lately," Derek said.

"Ok," Cameron said.

"Before we begin," Sarah spoke slowly, "I just want you to know that John has the detonator." John held up the stop watch/detonator that Cameron had created as a safety precaution in case her programming went haywire again, to validate his mother's statement.

"I know. I gave it to him," Cameron replied.

"And if we don't like your answers, he's going to use it," Derek threatened.

"Then ask something!" Cameron demanded, her voice rising in annoyance.

The three interrogators exchanged meaningful glances at Cameron's tone of voice. It was so unlike her to show any kind of emotion at all that any outburst, however minor, seemed glaringly out of character.

Derek began. "Tell us who this is," he said, putting a photograph in front of her.

"That's Willow Rosenberg," Cameron answered instantly.

"And this?" he asked, adding another photo.

"Alexander Harris," she replied.

"This?"

"Buffy Summers."

"This?"

Cameron hesitated slightly before answering. "Dawn Summers," she said.

"Who are they?" Sarah asked sternly.

"Dawn Summers is my friend," she answered, "Buffy Summers is her sister, and Alexander Harris and Willow Rosenberg are their friends who live with them."

"Machines don't have friends," Derek told her.

"I do."

"They're Terminators," he said accusingly.

"They are not," Cameron whispered, her voice sounding calm and dangerous.

"Looks like I hit a nerve," Derek said, glancing at Sarah. "Or a wire, I guess."

Cameron's mouth straightened and her brows furrowed. "If you'd listen to me for a moment, I'll explain," she said slowly.

"Please do," Sarah said, leaning against the counter for support. The conversation had obviously shaken the otherwise hard willed woman.

Cameron explained to them what had happened since that first ballet class. About meeting Dawn and her family, the Vampires, about Willow being a witch and Buffy being the leader of the Vampire Slayers. She omitted Dawn's kiss, judging it not crucial for them to know, but besides that she told them everything.

When her recounting was over the three humans exchanged troubled glances again.

"When were you going to tell us?" Sarah asked finally.

"Today. I was going to bring Dawn here, but John said not to."

"This is...different," John said.

"You can't seriously believe her?" asked Derek, horrified.

"You think she could make up something like that?" Sarah asked him while pointing at Cameron. "Her?"

"Obviously something is wrong with her chip or something," he said, trying to reason with them. "She's gone crazy, Sarah. We need to put her down."

Sarah turned back to Cameron. "Derek said he saw three Terminators. One, this one," she said, pointing to the photo of Buffy, "left the house you were in, met up with the other two, then hunted down and killed someone."

"I heard someone leave last night while everyone else was asleep," Cameron said. "It must have been her. She is a Vampire Slayer, so she was hunting Vampires, I'd assume. The other girls must have been Slayers as well."

"They were too strong to be regular people," Derek said, unconvinced by her explanation.

"They aren't regular people," Cameron said. "I told you, they have enhanced strength and agility."

"Oh, right. I forgot. They're super heroes," Derek mocked.

"Cameron, I don't want you going back there. We need to sort this out," Sarah told her.

"No," Cameron replied.

Sarah's eyebrows rose. "No?"

"I refuse. Dawn is my friend, and I'm going to see her again."

"John?" Sarah said, knowing his commands would be harder to ignore for the Terminator.

"Cameron," John began, "you can't see her again. At least not until we have this sorted out."

Cameron had no choice. "Yes, I understand," she said. Her voice had a sadness to it that John didn't miss.

"We'd like to discuss this privately now," Sarah told her. "Go wait in the living room."

Cameron complied without protest, leaving the three alone.

"What do you think?" Sarah asked John.

"I don't know about this story of Vampires and Witches," John said thoughtfully, "but I think something has got a hold of her. She believes it, I think."

"I've never seen her act that way," Sarah commented.

"Something is making her act weird," John said.

"Faulty wiring," Derek offered, taping his temple with his finger. "Put her down, John. It's the right thing to do, before she turns on us."

"I don't know, I think we should at least check out this 'friend' a little more," Sarah offered. "Something is making her act strangely, and I'm willing to bet this 'Dawn' is at the root of it."

John nodded his agreement, and they fell into a contemplative silence. John reflected on Cameron's weird behaviour. How she appeared to get emotional. She seemed to be annoyed with Derek's threats, then angry, and then finally upset when she was told she couldn't see her friend anymore. It was scary. Terminators couldn't have feelings. The T-888 he had idolized when he was ten had confirmed that for him years before. His last conversation with him drifted into his thoughts. "I now know why you cry. But it's something I can never do" he had told John. A Terminator couldn't cry, because it couldn't feel sadness. Cameron was a much more advanced model than that T-888 he had loved, but he was sure that fact still held true.

Then another thought broke his concentration.

"What if it's all true?" he asked. "The Vampires, the Slayers, the Witches? Magic, the whole thing?"

Sarah looked her son in the eye. "Then God help us all," she said.


	17. Chapter 17

Sitting in a shadow of a tree, nearly invisible in the morning's twilight, Faith surveyed the house. On the outside it was entirely and boringly typical. When Buffy had asked her to pull surveillance on people potentially from the future and possible robots, she had gotten excited.

That was 9 hours ago.

The sun was going to be up soon, and she had seen nothing worth mentioning. The girl who she could only assume was Cameron stared out the window for about two hours, but besides that there was no activity.

She shifted her seat slightly to combat her butt from going to sleep on the hard ground.

"Bad Girl to Lame Base, come in Lame Base," she whispered into her headset.

"I should have never let you pick the codenames," Xander's tired voice answered in her ear.

"Look L.B., it's six a.m., this party is a bust, I'm coming home."

"Buffy said to wait until seven, when someone will be by to relieve you," Xander reminded her.

"I don't care. I didn't fly from Kansas to LA to sit outside some boring ass suburban household."

"Buffy thinks they're possibly dangerous Faith," Xander nagged, "and we need to keep an eye on them. That's why she called you in; we need an experienced Slayer on this."

"Remember the code names dipshit. It's Bad Girl. And if B wants an experienced Slayer on this she can come out here and watch this house of excitement herself. Let her skinny ass go to sleep."

Xander sighed. "I'll tell Buffy you're returning to base, Bad Girl," he said, empathising her code name.

"Thank you," Faith said. "Bad Girl out."

She removed the headset and covered her eyes with her hands. Nothing made Faith more tired than doing nothing. She had been on pretty good terms with Buffy lately, and she didn't want to ruin that by being difficult, but this mission was just too boring and pointless to see through till the end.

'Maybe I'll get Buffy a gift to make it up to her,' she thought to herself, her eyes still closed. 'Maybe a sword or something. Naw, she has that axe thing she loves so much. Maybe a new tank top. Hmm. Na, she has too many of those already.'

She thought for another moment, until the edges of her lips slowly turned up into a grin. 'Maybe I'll get her some new underwear,' she mused. 'Red ones. And Silk.' She licked her lips unconsciously as she imagined the blonde Slayer wearing silk panties, and nothing else, her perfect body illuminated by candlelight.

She sighed. That was a weird thing for her to think about, she thought. "Not totally unpleasant though," she whispered to herself as she opened her eyes slowly, resolved to get up and leave.

Looking down she realized she had been lightly caressing her own breasts as she had thought about Buffy. 'Whoa,' she thought, surprised at how turned on a quick thought had made her. Then she noticed a red dot on her chest.

"Shit!" She screamed, jumping to her feet. She could see the crimson beam streaming from a window in the house she had been watching. How could she be so stupid? She had made a rookie mistake; daydreaming on a stakeout.

In the next split second she would have been behind cover, but then a movement caught her eye. She turned just in time to see a butt of an assault rifle, then a bright flash of light as it connected to her temple.


	18. Chapter 18

The dark haired girl wasn't out long, but she was out long enough for someone to tie her wrists and feet to a chair. Oftentimes, when people wake up from being unconscious they are groggy and slow-witted. This was not the case with Faith.

She awoke in a fury, screaming obscenities and trashing against her bounds.

"You're going to just end up cutting your wrists," warned a soft, feminine voice.

Faith spit in the older woman's face. "I'm gonna cut _you_ Bitch!" she screamed.

"You need to calm down, right now," the woman scolded, "or she's going to put a bullet in you."

Faith looked to her left and noticed a slender, younger female, holding a very large shotgun.

"So you're Cameron huh?" Faith asked her.

"Yes."

"Well GoBot," Faith hissed, "you need to tell your mother to let me out. I don't like being tied up unless there's a safety word. Even then, I'm usually the tie'er upper."

"I cannot do that," Cameron said.

"Who are you?" Sarah demanded.

"I'm Faith. I'm the sexy and sassy who is about to break her bonds and kick some 30 something ass."

'Well Faith, since we're being candid, my name is Sarah. More importantly, this is Cameron. How you know who she is is going to be a subject of debate, but for now what I know you know about her should be sufficient. What _I know_ you know is that she has a very large shotgun two feet from your face. So. Please. For your sake, and mine, since I'd be the one cleaning up the brains and skull fragments, even if you _can_ break those ropes, don't."

Faith wanted to break free and rip the two women apart, but Sarah made a very good argument. Her temper subsided, and she became more aware of her surroundings. She was in a small windowless room. A single flickering light bulb hung from the ceiling. The older one, Sarah, looked her up and down with a smug eyebrow arch. Cameron, the robot, just stood there, expressionless. What she was most aware of however, was that shotgun. That could be trouble.

"So, Faith," Sarah said chummily, "who are you."

"So, Sarah. Go fuck yourself."

"Are you affiliated with 'the Slayers'? Do you work for Buffy Summers?"

"Go. Fuck. Yourself."

The interrogation dragged on this way for some time. Sarah asked a question, and Faith told her to go fuck herself, all the while Cameron stood by silently, shotgun at the ready.

After about an hour of this Faith was still very vocal, but still did not give up any information besides various swear words and curses. Sarah was beginning to get frustrated.

"Who is Buffy Summers!" she screamed.

"Go fuck yourself!" Faith spat back.

Sarah slapped her, hard.

"heh," Faith laughed. "Wait until I get you tied up honey. And I will. You're gonna get a lot more than a slap in the face."

Sarah slapped her again.

"bitch." Faith said with a grin, seemingly unaffected. "How about another?"

Sarah complied and Faith laughed.

"Oh YEAH baby. You got some anger in you huh?" she teased. "I bet you're a devil in the sack."

Sarah grabbed the frustrating female by the hair and yanked her head back hard. This time she punched her.

Faith seemed totally oblivious to the pain. "Oh baby, you're making me hot," she moaned seductively. "When I get you tied up I think we'll be doing more than I originally anticipated."

Sarah drew her fist back for another punch, but before she could commit she heard a loud crash, seemingly from the kitchen.

She was momentarily worried. She turned to Cameron. "It must be John and Derek coming back."

"They're early," Cameron said.

"Go check," Sarah commanded.

After Cameron left the room Sarah turned her attention back to Faith, who starred up at her, her hands in her lap.

"How did you-" Sarah began when she realized Faith was free, but before she could get the sentence out she was slammed against the wall.

"I'm a very talented and _strong_ woman," Faith told with a wink.

Sarah tried to struggle, but Faith was inhumanly strong, her grip unmovable.

"Let me go!" Sarah screamed.

"hmm I don't think so," Faith said.

Sarah landed a solid headbutt, but Faith only laughed, and then kissed her hard.

Her eyes opened wide in surprise, she tried to turn away, but Faith's hold on her was too firm. Faith continued to kiss her, roughly and wetly.

Faith moaned as Sarah struggled and groaned in protest. Faith had her completely pressed against the wall with her own body, there was no escape. She could feel Faith's hand on her breast when a voice surprised them.

"Am I interrupting anything?" the voice said from the doorway.

Suddenly Sarah was completely free. She turned towards the door to see the small slender woman she knew to be Buffy Summers from the photo surveillance.

"Hi B!" Faith greeted happily. "We were just working out our differences."

"Where is Cameron?" Sarah asked dumbly.

"Chasing 4 Slayers around your house, and breaking furniture. She won't catch them. They're the fastest we have" Buffy said with a glare. "C'mon Faith, let's go home."

"Sure thing B."

Faith turned back to Sarah and kissed her lightly one last time as Sarah stood there, frozen.

"I'll see you soon baby," she teased, and then they were gone.

After a few moments Cameron returned to her. "You let Faith go," she stated.

"She escaped," Sarah told her. "Why didn't you shot them?"

"They didn't attack me," explained Cameron, "just avoided me when I tried to grab them. They're very quick. Plus firing a shot gun on a suburban street tends to attract unwanted attention."

"Never stopped you before."

"Yes. Well. They're gone now."

Sarah leaned back against the wall. She knew this was going to escalate, and there would be more fighting. This wasn't safe for John, but she couldn't see any other way around it. They knew too much for them to run.

It was time to start making plans. Preparations. Strategies. She was confident that if there was a war they would win it. She was looking forward to getting Faith alone again. They had unfinished business.


End file.
